I've never liked the term the 'the thinking girl's label' with certain brands deemed to have a higher propensity to attract 'intelligent' women than others. Prada and Jil Sander are the main culprits. Wouldn't a 'thinking girl' have the initiative to mix it up rather than be slavishly loyal to one brand? One label that has made itself widely available to clothing mixology as well as conjuring up a host of cinematic images and historical references that might be cooking up in a 'thinking girl's' head is Carven.

It's nearly time to revisit all those A/W 11-12 showroom images, whilst I'm sweating it out in the real world but secretly pining away for windy grey days when layers of buttoned-up Carven feel just right. Carven's collections become increasingly storied with each season and for A/W 11-12, I ended up thinking up all manners of film references that probably never even entered Guillaume Henry's mind. Miss Jean Brodie's neat little ensembles, flirty plaids in Clueless, the pared-down simplicity of Never Let Me Go, the swagger of Eva Green's character in The Dreamers, Sylvia Beach and Paris' Left Bank in the 40s-60s and uniforms of all sorts (Primary school, Bloomsbury, New Wave) all melded together to make something un-uniform‚Ä¶. all of this coming up as an image package before I've even touched the clothes.

Henry himself referenced Simone de Beauvoir and Lee Miller as background muses for this season's collection, a continuation of the aesthetic that he dreams up for girls likely to be seen in the library reading history of art books. In reality, Carven's clothes are more wide-reaching than that, appealing to people who might not even know who de Beauvoir or Miller were, but that's no bad thing. Being buttoned up has never looked so interesting than in the hands of Henry and I for one am all for his promotion of all things prim n' proper. In the showroom, the collection revealed itself to be even more multi-faceted than the vaguely 40s, vaguely Scottish/French mix of perfect prefect looks…

From a crumpled up map, he has derived a dress that looks a little kind the map dress created by artist Elisabeth Lecourt and this print turns up on a few shirt and knitwear pieces…

In a season of coats, Carven doesn't fail to proffer up a few robust wool and tweed options that come with removable leather and teddy bear fur collars…

Then there's a bit of tartan thrown into the mix made into dresses with in-built cups (something that I used to not be able to tolerate until Carven actually sized up the dresses so that my fried eggs can go in them…) and in wrapover dresses that reveal that below bust, above belly button peek of a triangle.

It's also used as a contrasting pattern with these multi-yarn knits….I love that the colours of the yarns pick up the colours of the tartan making the patterns blend more seamlessly…

The rest of the collections is an odd blend of traditional traits that for me, is more like a French ideal of 'Anglaise' style, as well as riffs off English countryside wear and public school uniforms. Duffle coat toggles, quilted Barbour-esque shorts, fleecy gardening gloves, vests made up in rah-rah school stripes and weathered lace inlays all point to something that is a blend of French and English traditions. There's something pleasingly familiar about Carven's clothes and yet at the same time, that familiarity has been rejigged somewhat for Henry's brand of bon chic, bon genre aesthetic or in his words 'bonne mani√®re' – to be properly attired. A peek of a knitted cycling shorts from under a short and jacket suit, lace combined with a casual sweatshirt or an elbow-patch wooly jumper and shirt collars that look far more interesting when rendered in a grey wool – all of these things left traces in my head back in March, that have lasted until now when this stuff will be creeping into stores.

Shoes are also becoming fuller and more well-rounded with the neat back-bow heel of last season, now in a mustard furry texture. In addition schoolish T-Bar shoes and rounded wedge loafers courtesy of a collaboration with Robert Clegerie add more sturdy shoe alternatives to the collection.

carven has been so awesome! very wearable but so interesting! the effect the pleating has on the map print is just breathtaking.
i’ve never heard of the term ‘thinking girl’s label’ but it is completely stupid! i think that all girls that have true personal style are thinking girls anywayhttp://heatherheartsfashion.blogspot.com/

Susie,
Love the vision that Carven conjured in your mind beyond the influences that Henry himself cited. Especially keen on those “robust” coats, and that prim leather jacket. I’ve never been big on the schoolgirl look before, but I love the grown-up take on this as presented by Carven. Thanks for introducing me to a designer I was previously unaware of.
-Grace

Oh Wow, it’s amazing. Really is one of the only labels I’m lusting after at the moment, and really great for giving inspiration for those on a lower budget!
Think I’ll have to save for the real thing with the teddy bear collared coats!
Thanks for posting something different, all the other blogs seem to post the same things!
You make my temping jobs a little more interesting!
Sorry about your burglary.